Kurzus nemzetközi vendég- és részidős hallgatóknak

Kar

Bölcsészettudományi Kar

Szervezet

BTK Magyar Irodalom- és Kultúratudományi Intézet

Kód

BA-ERA-DCLCS-S-21

Cím

The Anthropocene in Theory and Literature

Tervezett félév

Mindkét

Meghirdetve

2024/25/2

ECTS

6

Nyelv

en

Leírás

This seminar offers an introduction to the phenomenon of the “Anthropocene”. We will read easy-to-understand basic texts on the theory of the Anthropocene as well as two literary works in English translation which belong to the literature of the Anthropocene. By working through the theoretical texts, we will become familiar with the basic concepts and problems of Anthropocene research, and by reading works of fiction together, we will learn about the aesthetics of so-called Anthropocene literature. The theoretical texts to be read by Bruno Latour and Eva Horn, as well as the works of fiction by Max Frisch (“Man in the Holocen”, 1979) and Judith Schalansky (“An Inventory of losses”, 2018) will be made available online. The final list of readings will be negotiated with the students in the first seminar session, taking into account language skills and special interests.

Oktatás célja

Knowledge to be acquired: - Students are required to identify and demonstrate knowledge of the key concepts and problems of the so called anthropocene research and aesthetics. Competencies to be developed: - The seminar focuses on the skills of understanding basic philosophical and cultural-critical problems, as well as the skill of recognizing and identifying aesthetic practices in the literature of the Anthropocene. Knowledge: - The student is informed about the most important characteristics of literary theory, and knowledgeable about its most important texts and authors. - The student is familiar with the most common literary theoretical discourses, the main features of its historical processes and significant periods, and their wider European and cultural context. - The student is familiar with the rules of literary theoretical academic language, in its written and oral form. - The student is familiar with the most common methods of literary theory, as well as their professionally accepted contexts and evaluations. - The student knows at least one foreign language at the level required for his/her specialization. Skills: - The student writes and talks about the typical issues of literary theory in a variety of style registers, according to the rules of the given genre, in a clear, elaborate style. - The student can select and apply appropriate literary theoretical methods upon considering a variety of possible approach to problems in his/her field. - The student can communicate effectively in at least one foreign language in writing and orally and understands academic discourse. Attitudes: - The student understands and accepts that linguistic and literary phenomena are historically and socially conditioned and variable. - The student employs academic language and follows academic communicative norms, and authentically conveys his/her profession. - The student is capable of and pursues self-education in his/her selected fields of literary studies. - The student strives to improve his/her professional language skills. Autonomy, responsibility: - The student takes responsibility for his/her texts and is aware that those can be subject to professional evaluation in the context of literary theory and may have ethical consequences. - The student consciously represents his or her chosen methods in the field of literature and accepts that other disciplines work on different methodological bases.

Tantárgy tartalma

This seminar offers an introduction to the phenomenon of the “Anthropocene”. We will read easy-to-understand basic texts on the theory of the Anthropocene as well as two literary works in English translation which belong to the literature of the Anthropocene. By working through the theoretical texts, we will become familiar with the basic concepts and problems of Anthropocene research, and by reading works of fiction together, we will learn about the aesthetics of so-called Anthropocene literature. The theoretical texts to be read by Bruno Latour and Eva Horn, as well as the works of fiction by Max Frisch (“Man in the Holocen”, 1979) and Judith Schalansky (“An Inventory of losses”, 2018) will be made available online. The final list of readings will be negotiated with the students in the first seminar session, taking into account language skills and special interests.

Számonkérés és értékelés

Students are expected to actively participate in classes. In this seminar, there will be no short presentations, but special emphasis will be placed on thorough preparation and lively discussion. The written exam or seminar paper is assessed according to the following criteria: structure and clarity of the argument, the skill of using basic concepts; analytical and synthesizing skills.

Irodalomjegyzék

The Anthropocene Epoch (2019, The Guardian) Geologists Reject Declaration of Anthropocene Epoch (2024, The Guardian) Bruno Latour: Facing Gaia, chap. 1. (On the Instability of the [Notion of] Nature) Bruno Latour: Agency at the Time of the Anthropocene Horn/Bergthaller: The Anthropocene (2019), chap. 4, 5, and 7 (Nature and Culture + The Anthropos + Aesthetics) Eva Horn: Tipping Points. The Anthropocene and Covid-19 (2018) Max Frisch: Man in the Holocene (1979) Judith Schalansky: An Inventory of Losses (2018, chap. Preamble + Preface + Caspian Tiger + Greifswald Harbor)

Ajánlott irodalom

P. K. Haff, Technology as a geological phenomenon: implications for human well-being (2013) Emanuele Coccia, Metamorphoses (2021)

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